The comparison of the different methods and measurement locations is carried out in 2 surveys, each lasting 10 days. The first survey begins in April 2011 with 6 lactating dairy cows, the second follows in summer 2011 with another 6 lactating cows, so that n = 12. The implementation and measurements take place at the LFZ-Raumberg-Gumpenstein facility. During these measurements, the animals are kept tied up for the specified period of time. The values ​​are collected from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. in alternating order.

Rectal temperature measurement is used as the “gold standard” in this work. It is measured using two different commercially available thermometers (mercury and electronic). These two values ​​are also compared with each other. Subsequently, an attempt is made to establish a correlation between the rectally measured ICT and the other measurement methods.

Questions in the study to be carried out

• Correlation of the different measuring methods and measuring locations with the gold standard (rectal measurement with mercury thermometer)
• Correlation of the different methods and measurement locations at different ambient temperatures (spring measurement and summer measurement)
• Suitability of the methods examined in terms of their practical suitability

Data is collected at 5 different measuring locations:

• Eye temperature: hourly survey using an infrared camera
• sc measurement: hourly survey with a microchip from Destron fearing (Biothermo®)
• Intraruminal measurement: Measurement at 10 minute intervals using an inserted rumen sensor. Values ​​are automatically read from the sensor via radio waves to the external receiver device
• Vaginal measurement: Measurement at 10 minute intervals using an inserted chip. Values ​​are automatically recorded by the sensor and read out to the external receiver device via radio waves
• Rectal measurement (= gold standard) is carried out with a mercury thermometer and an electronic thermometer